Post-test Mean Research Articles

Songwriting versus recreational music therapy in adults with alcohol use disorder: A cluster-randomized study measuring readiness to change

ABSTRACT Background There is a lack of studies differentiating music therapy interventions by measuring potential between-group differences and within-group improvements in detoxification settings. Objective The purpose of the study was to compare group motivational-educational songwriting (MESW) and group recreational music therapy (RMT) as measured by readiness to change in adults with alcohol use disorder (AUD) who were hospitalized on a detoxification unit. Method Participants were 91 adults with AUD on a detoxification unit who were cluster-randomized by session to a single group MESW or group RMT session. Participants completed the 24-item University of Rhode Island Change Assessment (URICA) at pre- and posttest. Results Two-way repeated measures analyses of variance indicated significant within-group improvements from pre- to posttest in measures of contemplation, action, and total readiness to change. Although between-group differences did not reach significance, posttest means were consistently more favorable in the MESW condition. Conclusions Despite the temporal challenges of single sessions that are often the norm in detoxification settings, MESW and RMT may be ideal psychosocial treatments to augment people’s readiness to change and ultimately result in a higher likelihood of recovery. Implications for clinical practice, limitations, and suggestions for future research are provided.

Investigation of Acute Effects of Using Different Density Foam Roller Models on Hamstring Muscle Stiffness and Flexibility in Professional Soccer Players

It was aimed to examine the acute effects of the use of foam roller models of different densities on hamstring muscle stiffness and flexibility in professional soccer players. Hamstring muscle's stiffness were evaluated using the Myoton Pro device. The flexybility of the hamstring muscle were evaluated using with the unilateral sit-reach test on 21 male professional soccer players who played in Gaziantep Soccer Club at aged 18-40. Athletes were randomly divided into groups of seven to use soft, medium and hard foam rollers. The athletes applied the method consisting of two sets of one minute on the dominant hamstring muscle. Measurements were made twice, before the application (BA) and after the application (AA). The muscle stiffness measurement of the soccer players was determined BA mean of 16.26 N/m and AA mean of 16.17 N/m.. Flexibility measurement was determined BA mean of 28,36 cm and AA mean of 31,05 cm. It was found that the mean of pre-test and post-test did not differ statistically for muscle stiffness (p>0,05) according to measurement times, but statistically differed for flexibility (p0,05). It shows that foam roller application is important for increasing muscle flexibility, but there is no difference between foam roller models applied at different intensities in terms of removing muscle stiffness and increasing flexibility.

A study to assess the effectiveness of reiki therapy on pain and anxiety among critically ill women admitted in selected hospital, Tiruvannamalai

Introduction: Reiki therapy is a hands-on healing technique that transmits universal energy from the Reiki practitioner to the person receiving the treatment. The aim of the study was a quasi-experimental study was carried out in government medical college and hospital at Tiruvannamalai to evaluate the effectiveness of reiki therapy on pain and anxiety among critically ill women’s. 60 subjects were selected by using non-probability convenience sampling technique and the sample was equally divided into experimental & control group (30 in each group). Results: In experimental group, pain pretest mean score was 7.13 with SD± 2.01 and post-test mean score was 3.43 with SD± 1.90. The calculated paired‘t’test is t=13.17. In control group, pre-test mean score was 7.23 with SD±1.81and post-test mean score was 7.40 with SD± 1.86 the calculated paired ‘t’ test is t=1.30. In anxiety, experimental group pre-test mean score was 19.90 with SD± 6.87 and post-test mean score was 11.83with SD±6.27and the calculated paired ‘ t’ test is t=13 where as in control group, pre-test mean score was 20.20with SD± 5.38 and post-test mean score was 20.83 with SD± 5.45 the calculated paired ‘t’ test is t=0. In experimental group, pain pre-test mean score was 7.13 with SD± 2.01 and control group mean score was 7.23 with SD± 1.81. The calculated Unpaired “t” value is t=0.13. The post-test mean score was 3.43 with SD± 1.90 and the post mean score was 7.40 with SD± 1.86. The calculated unpaired “t” value was t=8.14. Where as in anxiety experimental group pre-test mean score was 19.90 with SD± of 6.82 and the control group mean score was 20.20with SD±5.38. The calculated Unpaired “t” value is t=0.02. In experimental group post-test mean score was 11.83 with the SD± 6.27 and in control group mean score was 20.83 with SD± 5.45. Conclusion: The findings revealed that, the effectiveness of reiki therapy was statistically tested and found to be statistically significant at p<0.001 level then the control group. Therefore reiki therapy is beneficial to reduce the pain and anxiety of critically ill women’s.

Effectiveness of safety precaution intervention regarding use of fire crackers on knowledge and fire accidents among school children

Diwali is one such joyous festival which is loved and celebrated by everyone over the country as the festival of lights. It is celebrated by lighting oil lamps and firecrackers like a bomb, flowerpots, chakri, rockets, etc. Firecracker injuries are common in India, of which the majority takes place during diwali. A quasi experimental study was done to assess the effectiveness of safety precaution intervention regarding use of fire crackers on knowledge and fire accidents among school children at Government Middle school, Tiruvannamalai.110 subjects in experimental & 110 subjects in control group were selected by using convenience sampling technique. Post test only design was used. Knowledge and fire accidents were assessed by using questionnaire and observational checklist respectively. The study findings revealed that in control group, the mean posttest score for knowledge was 9.2 whereas in experimental group, the mean score was 18.1 and the calculated t value is 8.5 shows statistically significant at P<0.001 level.The mean score for fire accidents in control group is 4.19 whereas in experimental group mean score was 2.8 and the calculated unpaired t value t=5.5 shows statistically significant at P<0.001 level. The study concluded that safety precaution intervention is necessary to create awareness and control the fire crackers injuries among school children and they are also the message carrier.

The Influence of Using Documentary Films on Students’ Writing Ability of Explanation Text

This research aims to obtain empirical evidence of the influence of using Documentary Films on students’ writing ability of explanation text. The method of this research was a quantitative method using a quasi-experimental design. The population of this research was the eleventh-grade students at one of the private schools in Tangerang Selatan in the academic year 2019/2020 with 61 pupils in total. The sample of this study was selected by purposive sampling technique and was divided into two classes; experimental class and control class. In collecting data from both classes, the researcher used a written test as an instrument. Moreover, the data from both the pre-test and post-test were analyzed by using a t-test with IBM SPSS 20. The result indicated that the post-test mean score of the experimental class was higher than the post-test mean score of the control class, 76.97 > 67.16. Then the sig. 2-tailed (ρ) was lower than the alpha, 0.000 < 0.05. It proved that H0 was rejected and Ha was accepted. Therefore, the effect size calculation result showed 1.60, which means it is at a strong level. Therefore, it proved that there was a significant influence of using documentary films on students’ writing ability of explanation text.

Using Informal Assessments in Project-Based Learning to Motivate Students to Speak Up: A Classroom Action Research Learned from ESP Courses

An assessment is a way of gathering and discussing data from various sources to gain an understanding of what a student knows, understands, and is able to do with their knowledge resulting from their education to improve their future learning. The purposes of this study were to see the motivation of students to learn the English project suggested in the ESP Course,  Business Meetings Project, and also measured the student's success in language skills, especially oral communication skills.The study was conducted  using an action research method where a questionnaire, students' achievements, and classroom activities were taken as the data. The questionnaire was scored using the Likert scale rating. Students will respond to this scale by rating the motivation factor on a scale. The researchers employed a pre- and post-test to determine how much the students' abilities had improved. The pre-test and post-test mean scores were compared and computed by the researcher using the T-test technique. The participants were 26 students from the Accounting Department of the State Polytechnic Of Malang. The outcome of this study was the successful implementation of the model. The T-test for the first project showed 62,30, the second project had 74,69, and the third project had 79,30.

Investigation of the Effect of Teaching the Unit "Chemistry is everywhere" by Argumentation on Academic Achievement and Some Variables

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the effect of argumentation-oriented instruction on students’ academic achievement, argumentation skills, attitudes towards chemistry, understanding the nature of scientific knowledge, science process skills and willingness to argumentation in teaching the unit “chemistry is everywhere”, by comparing with the existing teaching method. Method: The research was conducted via embedded design of mixed research method simultaneously combining quantitative and qualitative approaches. The sample consisted of 66 10th grade highschool students. Data collection tools were ‘Chemistry is everywhere’ Unit Achievement Test (CEAT), Attitudes Scale towards Chemistry (ASTC), Science Process Skills Test (SPST), Nature of Scientific Knowledge Test (NSKT), Argumentativeness Scale (AS), interviews and verbal-written discussion. Independent samples t-test and Mann-Whitney U test were utilized to analyze the scores of CEAT, ASTC, SPST and NSKT, while Wilcoxon test was used for the analysis of AS. The data of interviews, verbal and written discussion were exposed to content analysis. Findings: The results of the study found statistically significant differences between the experimental and control groups’ mean scores of the CEAT, ASTC, SPST and NSKT in favor of the experimental group. For the experimental group, there was a significant difference between the pre-test and post-test mean scores of AS and the students’ argumentation levels mainly remained level 2 containing claim and warrant.

Effect of Gender on Office Technology and Management (OTM) Students’ Academic Achievement and Retention in Record Management in Polytechnics in Anambra State, Nigeria

The study determined the effect of gender on office technology and management (OTM) students’ academic achievement and retention in record management in polytechnics in Anambra State, Nigeria. The study was quasi-experimental research which specifically used the pretest, posttest nonequivalent control group design. The population of the study was 6,213 Ordinary National Diploma (OND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) offering OTM in Federal Polytechnic Oko, Anambra State and the sample size was 347 OTM students. The instrument for data collection was Record Management Achievement Test (RMAT) extracted from second year OND AND HND past questions from 2019-2023. RMAT was administered to OTM students in both experimental and control groups. Test-retest method was used to establish the reliability of the instrument and data were analyzed with Pearson Product Moment Correlation coefficient which yielded 0.86. Mean was used to answer the research questions while analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to test the hypotheses. The SPSS version 21.0 was used for analysis. Findings revealed that male performed better than their female counterparts in record management and also there is no statistically significant difference on the pretest and posttest mean retention scores of male and female office technology and management students’ in record management. Based on the results and discussions of the findings of the study, the researchers are pertinent that students’ academic achievements in record management are not influenced by gender. It was therefore recommended among others, that record management teachers should endeavor to give female and male students equal opportunities in the classroom.

지역사회 연계 환경 프로그램 효과성 연구

Objectives The purpose of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of community-based environmental programs for alternative school children, focusing on environmental behavior, pro-environmental behavior, environmental sensitivity and awareness.
 Methods The subjects of the study are 19 students from Alternative School A in Seoul. The trends (M, SD) and normality (Kolmogorov-Smirnov, Shapiro-Wilk) of the pre-post mean scores for the research variables, namely environmental behavior, pro-environmental behavior, environmental sensitivity and awareness, were verified using SPSS 23.0. Since normality was not met, the Wilcoxon test, a non-parametric statistical method that analyzes differences between paired pre- and post-samples, was used to verify effectiveness.
 Results The main results are as follows: First, the trend of research variables was analyzed by differentiating between pre-mean scores (a) and post-mean scores (b), and examining the difference (b-a). The results showed improvement in post-mean scores compared to pre-mean scores for all research variables. Second, the normality of the pre- and post-test mean scores of the study variables was not satisfied, so nonparametric statistical methods were used to test for differences. Third, all study variables showed higher post-test mean scores than pre-test mean scores, and the results were statistically significant.
 Conclusions The findings of this study suggest that community engagement programs operated by alternative schools should be expanded to support optimized programs by identifying and implementing improvements through continuous monitoring. The proposal focuses on measures for experiential project activities through strengthened collaboration with the local community.

The effect of environmental health education on microplastic pollution awareness.

The aim of this research is to investigate the effect of environmental health education given at the ninth-grade level on the microplastic pollution awareness level of students. This pretest-posttest experimental study with a randomized control group was conducted between 2022 and 2023 in three high schools in a province in eastern Turkey. The sample of the study consisted of 90 ninth-grade students (experimental group: 45, control group: 45), and the sample magnitude was determined by power analysis. Tools such as the "Personal Information Form" and "Microplastic Pollution Awareness Scale (MPAS)" were used to collect data. Training was given to the experimental group as a nursing intervention in a total of four sessions at 15-day intervals. No intervention was applied to the individuals in the control group. While no significant difference was observed in the MPAS total score in the control group according to the pretest and posttest mean scores, a significant difference was observed in the MPAS total score in the experimental group (p<0.05). When the posttest mean scores of the experimental and control groups were examined, it was observed that the posttest mean scores of the experimental group were higher than the posttest mean scores of the control group and there was a statistically significant difference (p<0.05). It was observed that the microplastic pollution awareness level of the experimental group students who received environmental health training increased significantly. The issue of environmental health should be integrated into the education curriculum in schools and students' awareness levels should be increased.

Effect of A Multi-Model Based Intervention on Bullying Prevention through Peer Advocacy

AbstractPeer advocacy and bullying prevention programs are ergonomic and helpful in protecting students from the effects of bullying. This study aims to evaluate the effect of model-based strategies on bullying prevention through peer advocacy. Model-based strategies combine STAC strategies, Logic Model and ABCD Model in the current study. This study was conducted as a quasi-experimental design with pre- and post-tests. Its population consisted of sixth-grade students in four primary schools in Wales, UK. Students were included in the intervention (n = 38) and control (n = 38) groups. An education program was given to the intervention group in three sessions with the strategies based on two models. Data analysis consisted of Chi-square, Repeated Measures ANOVA, and t-tests. Data were collected with a personal information form, the Student-Advocates Pre-and Post-Scale (SAPPS), and the Friendship Qualities Scale. The SAPPS and Self-Confidence to Intervene to Stop Bullying sub-scale post-test mean scores increased significantly (p &lt; .0.05) after the education. An increase was observed in the averages of scales and subscales scores in the intervention group. The program was effective in developing students’ advocacy, building self-confidence, increasing awareness of bullying information, and using Strategies information to prevent bullying. Model-based configuration may have made the program more effective.

Effects of the design thinking pedagogy on design thinking competence of nursing students in Taiwan: A prospective non-randomized study

BackgroundDesign thinking pedagogy was commonly adopted in higher education across professional fields, but not in nursing education. To enhance design thinking competence of nursing students, integrating design thinking pedagogy has been suggested. ObjectiveTo assess the effect of incorporating design thinking pedagogy into Leadership Development courses on design thinking competence in nursing students. DesignProspective non-randomized study. Participant and settingThis study was conducted in a University of Science and Technology in northern Taiwan. Nursing students taking elective Leadership Development courses were included as the experimental group (n = 150). Age- and gender-matched nursing students without taking Leadership Development courses were included as the control group (n = 150). MethodsTwo self-reported questionnaires, Taiwanese version of Creative Synthesis Inventory (CSI-TW) and Design Thinking Traits Questionnaire (DTTQ-TW), were used to assess design thinking competence of nursing students before and after test. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) after adjustment for pre-test mean scores was performed to assess differences in the adjusted post-test mean scores between the two groups. ResultsThe ANCOVA analysis indicated nursing students in the experimental group had significantly improved total scores of and subscale scores of CSI-TW compared to those of the control group. Although total score of DTTQ-TW as well as subscale scores of feedback-seeking and experimentalism were significantly enhanced in the experimental group than their control counterparts, no significant differences in subscale scores of integrative thinking, optimism, and collaboration were observed between two groups. ConclusionDesign thinking pedagogy significantly improved overall design thinking competence of nursing students. This study provided quantitative evidence to support the implementation of design thinking pedagogy in nursing education to facilitate the design thinking competence of nursing students.

Exploring Students' Creative Thinking Skills When Learning Biology Through the Reading Concept Mapping Team Quiz (Remap-TQ)

A supportive learning model can influence the development of creative thinking skills. Remap-TQ is an acronym for a learning model with stages of reading, concept mapping, and Team Quiz (TQ). The steps of the Remap-TQ learning model are expected to train students’ creative thinking skills. The purpose of the study was to determine the contribution of Remap-TQ to students’ creative thinking skills in learning biology. This study was a quasi-experimental design with a pretest-posttest non-equivalent control group design. Participants involved in this research were science students from one state senior high school in Jember, East Java, Indonesia, who had been tested for equality. Respondents came from three randomly selected classes, totalling 105 students. The indicators of creative thinking measured are curiosity, fluency, originality, elaboration, flexibility, divergence, messines/risk-taking, and others. The results showed that the Remap-TQ model could improve students’ creative thinking more than the TQ model and conventional learning. The posttest mean value of learning with Remap-TQ is 85.89, compared to students taught by TQ of 78.64 and conventional learning of 68.03. The findings of this study can provide new references to educators regarding innovative learning models to develop students’ creative thinking skills in learning biology.&#x0D; Keywords: exploring, creative thinking, skills, biology, Remap-TQ

Opentalk application’s impact towards EFL high school student’s speaking skills

There have been so many applications that can be used to improve students’ language skills, but not many of them have applied Opentalk for improving students’ speaking skills. The purpose of this study is to find out whether using the Opentalk application effective to improve student’s speaking skills of the tenth grade of MAN Kendal in academic year 2022/2023. This study used a quasi-experimental research design that consist of two classes, namely experimental class and control class. The sample was 36 students of X-1 as a control class and 36 students of X-10 as experimental class. The instrument for collecting data in this study was speaking test. The result of this study showed that the pre-test mean score of the control class was 67.11 and that of the experimental class was 60.78. After having treatment, the post-test mean score of control class was 72.11 and that of the experimental class was 65.89. The result of the analysis showed that there was a significant difference. It was supported by the result of t-test that showed sig (2-tailed) 0.004. It could be concluded that H0 was rejected and Ha was accepted meaning that the use of Opentalk application was effective to improve student’s speaking skills.

The Effectiveness of Positive Psychological Interventions on Social Isolation of Girl Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Background: Past studies have revealed that positive psychological intervention has a positive impact on social isolation. Objectives: The purpose of this investigation was to examine the effect of positive psychological interventions on students' social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: The research design of the study was quasi-experimental, comprising post-test and pre-test types with experimental and control groups. The population of this study included all female students of the 10th grade at Isfahan Conservatory during the academic year 2022 - 2023. The sample size consisted of 30 female students who were selected through convenience sampling and randomly assigned to two groups: the control group (15 students) and the experimental group (15 students). Eight sessions of positive psychological intervention were conducted with the experimental group, while the control group did not receive any intervention. Results: The results of Fisher’s Exact test and chi-square test did not reveal any significant difference between the two groups of fathers in terms of education level (P = 0.169), and there was also no significant difference between the two groups of mothers in terms of education level (P = 0.715). The mean scores of social isolation (control: 50.00 ± 7.44, intervention: 30.00 ± 7.60) significantly decreased in the intervention group (P = 0.0001), but there was no significant decrease in the control group (P = 0.45). Accordingly, the pre-test mean scores of social isolation (P = 0.143) did not show significant between-group differences, and the post-test mean scores of social isolation (P = 0.001) in the intervention group were significantly lower than in the control group. Conclusions: The positive psychological intervention had a significant effect on the students' social isolation in the experimental group during the COVID-19 pandemic, indicating that this intervention can be used to reduce the social isolation of students.

Trakya University Faculty Of Medicine Interns’ Assesment Of Disaster Response Self-Efficacy: An Intervention Study

Backward: The World Health Organization defines a disaster as an "unexpected ecological phenomenon that exceeds the capacity and resources of an institution, disrupts normal functioning, and requires external assistance" (1). The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of disaster-related education intervention on the disaster response self-efficacy of interns at Trakya University Faculty of Medicine and provide recommendations. Materials and Methods: An intervention-type study was conducted with final-year students of Trakya University Faculty of Medicine. Following the Kahramanmaraş earthquake on February 6, 2023, disaster-related courses and public health services in disasters were added to the 6th Year Rural Medicine Internship curriculum. All 49 participants who attended these courses were included in the research. Before the disaster-related courses in the 6th-year rural medicine internship, participants were administered a sociodemographic questionnaire and the Disaster Response Self-Efficacy Scale (DRSES); only the DRSES scale was administered at the end of the rural medicine internship. Results: The average age of interns participating in the study was 24.8±1.2 years, with 26 (53.1%) being female. Twenty-one (42.9%) of the participants reported experiencing a disaster in their lifetime, while 29 (59.2%) stated that there had been a disaster in their family. Twenty-nine (59.2%) participants indicated receiving disaster-related training during their medical education, while 47 (95.9%) expressed a need for disaster-related education. Eighty-five point seven percent (85.7%) of the participants rated their self-efficacy in disaster response as "poor." The mean pre-test score for the DRSES was 62.82±13.06, and the mean post-test score was 72.80±10.21, with a statistically significant difference between pre-test and post-test scores (p

Effectiveness of Health Education Intervention on Knowledge Regarding Prevention of Cervical Cancer among Women in a Selected Community of Kathmandu, Nepal

Cervical cancer is considered a cancer that is preventable by means of vaccination against human papilloma virus (HPV) and early detection by screening. Its incidence is decreasing in developed countries but not in developing countries, including Nepal. Disease ignorance and low awareness about available preventive health services are the main causes for cervical cancer still being a leading cause of death by cancer. We evaluated the effectiveness of a health educational intervention in improving women’s knowledge about cervical cancer and its prevention in a semi-urban community of Kathmandu. Health education was provided in an interactive lecture for women of reproductive age in various wards of Shankarapur Municipality, Kathmandu. Its effectiveness was assessed by comparing the level of knowledge before and four weeks after the intervention, by interviewing participants based on a questionnaire consisting of 48 questions. The study was completed in 126 women (mean age 33.5 years). The mean pre-test and post-test correct scores were 10.2 and 42.13 respectively (p &lt;0.001). Initially, 96.8% had poor knowledge (score &lt;60.0% of total); post-intervention, 87.3% had good knowledge (score ≥80.0%, p &lt;0.001). Knowledge before intervention was especially poor among older age, less educated, housewives or doing small business, and married women (p &lt;0.001). Knowledge of cervical cancer and its prevention is poor among community women. A health education is very effective in improving women’s knowledge and should be implemented as a policy to achieve the goal of eliminating cervical cancer as a public health issue.

Use of standardized patients in patient education practices of senior nursing students: A mixed-methods study

BackgroundThere is a need for innovative teaching practices in nursing education due to many factors, such as global changes, the rapid development of technology, the increasing number of students, and the recent pandemic. ObjectivesThis research was conducted using standardized patients to evaluate the attitudes and skills of senior nursing students toward patient education practices following the implementation of a patient education training program. DesignMixed-methods design. SettingsThe study was conducted at a nursing faculty. ParticipantsThe sample of the study consisted of 47 senior nursing students. InterventionThe students participating in the study were given a four-hour patient education training that included the preparation of patient education, preparation of materials, and effective presentation. MethodsA descriptive information form prepared by the researchers, the Patient Education Implementation Scale (PEIS), the Turkish version of the Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool for Printable Materials (PEMATTR-P), and the presentation skill evaluation form (PSEF) were used to collect quantitative data. Semi-structured interview forms were utilized to collect qualitative data. SPSS for Windows v. 25.0 and MAXQDA20 were used for the data analyses. Results with a p value of <0.05 were considered statistically significant. ResultsThe post-test mean PEIS scores of the students increased in the total scale and in all subdimensions. A significant difference was found in the understandability and actionability of patient education materials evaluated with PEMATTR-P (p < 0.05). The mean PSEF score of the students was 85.14 ± 9.25 points. Within the scope of the research, two main themes, namely emotions and efficacy, were determined. ConclusionsThis study confirms that structured patient education training, including the use of standardized patients, is important for supporting and developing nursing senior students' attitudes and skills toward patient education.

Pengaruh Model Pembelajaran Picture and Picture terhadap Kemampuan Menulis Teks Prosedur Siswa MI

The purpose of the study was to determine the effect of picture and picture (PnP) learning model on the ability to write procedure text of fifth grade students of MI Muhammadiyah Congol Boyolali.  This research applied a quantitative quasi-experimental approach. The research type applied one group pre-test post-test design. Data collection used essay questions provided at the beginning and end of learning. Data were analyzed by assessing pre-test and post-test results, normality test, homogeneity, and one sample t-test. The results indicated an increase in students' mean scores after applying the PnP model, with a pre-test mean score of 69.93 and a post-test mean score of 88.63. The results of data analysis applying the one sample t-test also resulted in a t-count of 12.45, exceeding the t-table of 2.093, and the significance value showed less than 0.05. Thus, there is a significant effect of using the PnP model on the ability to write procedure texts of grade V students of MI Muhammadiyah Congol. The contribution of this research can be a literature for the development of learning models that have an impact on improving students' ability to write procedural texts.

Effectiveness of selected small group teaching methods for undergraduate medical students on basic concepts of epidemiology: A quasi-experimental study

BACKGROUND: Teaching epidemiology to young medical students using traditional teaching techniques is fraught with myriad challenges. Incorporating innovative small group teaching (SGT) approaches that promote active learning, practical application, and critical thinking can help in overcoming these challenges. AIM/OBJECTIVE: To identify the most effective SGT method from selected three approaches [tutorial technique (TT), problem-based learning (PBL), and fishbowl technique (FBT)] to teach the basic concepts of epidemiology to the third-year undergraduate medical students of a private medical college in Puducherry, Southern India. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A quasi-experimental study was conducted among third-year undergraduate medical students for 6 months. The sample size was calculated to be 60 using the nMaster 2.0 sample size software. Three groups were formed with 20 students each. A pre-test, which included fifty multiple-choice questions covering topic one, was conducted for students in all three groups. An SGT session on topic one (dynamics of disease transmission) was held on the same day by different facilitators for three groups A, B, and C using the TT, PBL, and FBT, respectively. After 6 weeks of the SGT session for topic one, a post-test using the same questions was organized for all three groups to identify the effectiveness of each SGT method. The above sequence of events was followed for topic two (study designs) and topic three (investigation of disease outbreak) among all groups in the subsequent months. A written informed consent was sought from all students. The collected data was entered in MS Excel 2010 and analyzed using SPSS 21. The pre- and post-tests for all topics in all three groups were compared using a paired t-test, and an ANOVA test was used to find any difference between the groups. RESULTS: The mean post-test score in each of the three groups for all topics had improved when compared with the mean pre-test score, which was significantly different between the three groups. Further, the mean score of group B (PBL group) was found to be higher than group C (FBT) but not significantly higher compared to group A (TT). The mean score of the feedback where the participants were asked to rate the overall session was found to be high in group B (PBL) followed by group A (TT). CONCLUSION: PBL and TT were found to be an equally effective way of small group methods for teaching–learning epidemiology in medical school.